Docking date for ATV-3 with Space Station

Artist's impression of ATV docking

9 March 2012

ESA’s third Automated Transfer Vehicle, scheduled for launch on an Ariane 5 from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana on 23 March, is planned to dock with the International Space Station five days later.

ATV-3 will automatically dock with the Station’s Russian Zvezda module during the night of 28–29 March. The precise time will be known after launch, which is set for 04:31 GMT (05:31 CET) on Friday, 23 March.

The flight of ATV-3 is part of the internationally coordinated servicing effort to support the International Space Station.